Diseases of the Eye

There are many reasons why people need artificialincreases and the small blood vessels found in the
eyes or ocular prosthesis. Thankfully, advancements ineyes are particularly susceptible to hemorrhaging as a
science now allow people that have lost an eye toresult of this increased pressure. Diabetic Retinopathy
often adapt to their limited vision. A skilled ocularist canis reversible to a certain extent, but once extensive
now create artificial eyes that so closely match thehemorrhaging has taken place, scarring can occur
natural eye, that they typically go unnoticed. The mostwhich may cause the retina to detach. This can
common cause of eye loss is trauma or injury, butsometimes be corrected with surgery, but if the
many chronic eye diseases can also lead to eyesurgery is not successful vision will be lost and the eye
removal. Five common eye diseases that cancan be painful or unpleasing aesthetically. In these
ultimately result in the removal of an eye are Painfulcases, removal of the eye may be a good option.
Blind Eye, Ocular Melanoma, Diabetic Retinopathy,Besides Ocular Melanoma, there are other types of
Tumors and Cataracts.eye cancers that can result in the removal of an eye
Blindness is defined by the lack of light perception. If asuch as Retinoblastoma, which is most common in
person is completely blind, they suffer from "no lightchildren. Retinoblastoma is a tumor that develops in the
perception" or NLP. Often NLP is accompanied by paineye's retina, or the light-sensing part of the eye. It
which can be caused by a number of conditions, mostgrows rapidly and while preserving the sight of the
commonly the pain associated with the increased eyechild is a priority, the eye is sometimes removed if the
pressure of glaucoma, a common cause of blindness.life of the child is in danger.
In these cases, since there is already no vision in theFinally, the development of cataracts can also lead to
affected eye, the eye can be removed and replacedeye removal. Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of
with an ocular prosthesis, allowing the sufferer tothe eye which in extreme cases can completely block
appear normal and to eliminate the pain.the passage of light, resulting in blindness. Cataracts
Ocular melanoma is the most common type of eyecan develop for a variety of reasons including
cancer. Like other melanomas typically occurring onexposure of ultraviolet light, exposure to radiation and
the skin, ocular melanoma is the result of cancermany other reasons, some of which are understood
developing in I , which produce melanin, a pigmentand some of which aren't understood. However, the
which colors the skin. In types of intraocular melanoma,likelihood of developing cataracts increases with age. In
meaning that the cancer occurs inside the eye ratheraddition to causing blindness, cataracts also given the
than on the eyelid or other outer parts of the eye, theeye a cloudy appearance and in advanced cases, the
eye may be removed in order to prevent the cancereye is sometimes removed for cosmetic reasons.
from spreading to other parts of the body, particularlyThe removal of an eye is usually a last resort in the
the liver, where it can be fatal.treatment of any of these conditions because it results
Diabetic Retinopathy, a diabetes related eye disease,in complete blindness in that eye and the preservation
results from the hemorrhaging of the small bloodof vision is usually a goal in the treatment of eye
vessels in the eye which causes blood to leak into thediseases. However, when necessary, removal of a
eye blocking vision. The hemorrhaging is the result ofdiseased eye often provides relief from pain,
poor blood glucose control, a challenge of all peopleprevention of the spreading of a disease to other
with diabetes. When blood glucose levels become toobody parts, and in some cases, thanks to ocular
high, the pressure inside the blood vessels of the bodyprostheses, improved appearance.